Transcription-coupled DNA double-strand break repair

• Published in: DNA repair 2022-01, Vol.109, p.103211-103211, Article 103211
• Main Authors: Guha, Shalini, Bhaumik, Sukesh R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromatin; DNA - metabolism; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; DNA End-Joining Repair; DNA Repair; DSB; DSBR; Eukaryota - genetics; Humans; Recombinational DNA Repair; RNA polymerase II; TC-DSBR; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 1568-7864; 1568-7856
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103211

•Transcription-coupled DNA double-strand break repair (TC-DSBR).•Roles of transcription and chromatin in repairing DSB at the active gene.•Roles of RNAs in DSBR. The genomic DNA is constantly under attack by cellular and/or environmental factors. Fortunately, the cell is armed to safeguard its genome by various mechanisms such as nucleotide excision, base excision, mismatch and DNA double-strand break repairs. While these processes maintain the integrity of the genome throughout, DNA repair occurs preferentially faster at the transcriptionally active genes. Such transcription-coupled repair phenomenon plays important roles to maintain active genome integrity, failure of which would interfere with transcription, leading to an altered gene expression (and hence cellular pathologies/diseases). Among the various DNA damages, DNA double-strand breaks are quite toxic to the cells. If DNA double-strand break occurs at the active gene, it would interfere with transcription/gene expression, thus threatening cellular viability. Such DNA double-strand breaks are found to be repaired faster at the active gene in comparison to its inactive state or the inactive gene, thus supporting the existence of a new phenomenon of transcription-coupled DNA double-strand break repair. Here, we describe the advances of this repair process.